Over the past decade, international efforts have greatly increased the number of people in developing countries receiving antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV/AIDS. Today, more than 8 million people receive therapy, although more than 34 million people are living with HIV.

Our Role

Viread® (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and Truvada® (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) are recommended by the World Health Organization as components of antiretroviral therapy. We make these medicines available in low- and middle-income countries through two means:

  • We work with regional business partners to provide Viread and Truvada at steeply discounted prices that represent little or no profit to us.
  • We work with generic licensing partners in India and South Africa to produce high-quality, low-cost versions of our HIV therapies to sell in developing countries.

Our single tablet regimens Atripla® (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and Complera® (emtricitabine/rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) were developed and are distributed through joint ventures with Merck and Janssen Therapeutics, respectively. We work with these companies to manage access for developing countries.

Also, as new HIV medicines advance through the research and development pipeline, we take steps to introduce them through access programs. For example, in July 2011 Gilead extended licenses to Indian partners to grant them future rights to produce generic versions of our newest single tablet regimen, Stribild® (elvitegravir 150 mg/cobicistat 150 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg). This was done prior to Stribild's approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in August 2012.

Progress to Date

  • The number of people in developing countries receiving Gilead antiretroviral therapy has increased from fewer than 30,000 in 2006 to 3.5 million in 2012. More than one-third of people now treated for HIV in developing world countries receive Gilead medicines.
  • More than 130 countries are included in access efforts, home to nearly 95 percent of people with HIV in the developing world.
  • We work to register our HIV medicines with regulatory authorities in access countries. Viread is currently registered for HIV in 103 countries and Truvada in 100.
At Gilead we are inspired by the opportunity to address unmet medical needs for patients living with life-threatening diseases around the world.